Travellers leave Royal Birkdale area

Travellers who arrived on land next to Royal Birkdale have now left the area.

Visiter.co.uk understand the travellers left the site off Waterloo Road over the weekend. They had arrived on Friday, when some residents expressed concern.

Photographs showed a number of caravans and vans parked up on the grasss. On Friday a spokesman for Royal Birkdale confirmed there were 'six or seven caravans' on the council owned land at the Waterloo end of their drive.

The stretch of land next to Royal Birkdale is traditionally popular with dog walkers.

The site, off Waterloo Road, is around 100 yards from Royal Birkdale's famous fairways. The area is home to a clutch of multi-million pound homes, including a property owned by former Liverpool FC defender Alan Hansen.

One resident said: "It is a bit worrying. I know that Sefton Council use that patch of land for providing parking facilities during special events."

On Friday a spokesman for Sefton Council confirmed they aware of the matter and said a council officer was on his way to the site.

Royal Birkdale is set to host The Open Championship next year. The famous Southport links last held the open in 2008 when Padraig Harrington was victorious.